How to Con­tin­ue on PC With Default Browser

22 Aug 2018

Windows 10’s Continue on PC feature is all about convenience. The ability to switch from mobile to PC instantly without messing around with bookmarks and such is pretty neat.

But there’s one caveat. Any links that you send through your iOS or Android mobile device opens only on Microsoft Edge. And it stays that way no matter what your default browser is.

If you thought that happens due to Continue on PC being some sort of an integral feature of Microsoft Edge, then don't be fooled. In fact, it's just another one of Microsoft’s pathetic attempts to force Edge down our throats. Not cool!

Fortunately, there’s a workaround to bypass this restriction. If you don’t want to deal with two separate browsers — which is just stupid — then let’s see how you can open Continue on PC links in your default web browser instead.

Install EdgeDeflector

EdgeDeflector is an open source utility on GitHub that does a terrific job at intercepting the hard-coded URL protocol directing Continue on PC links to Microsoft Edge. Not only that, but it also diverts the links to your default web browser, be it Chrome, Firefox, or whatever. And all of this happens seamlessly with no delays whatsoever.

Start off by downloading the EdgeDeflector executable file from GitHub. It's just around 50KB in size, but make sure to grab the latest version that's available.

Also on Guiding Tech

If You Don’t Get to Select the URL Handler

Rarely, you may not see the option to select EdgeDeflector as the URL handler during installation. However, it’s nothing to worry about. After installing EdgeDeflector, simply go through the following steps to set things up manually.

Also on Guiding Tech

Bonus Tip: Cortana With EdgeDeflector

If you stopped using Cortana just because she uses Microsoft Edge to open up your web searches, then it’s time to start using her again since EdgeDeflector takes care of that issue as well. Talk about taking down two birds with a single stone!

Search Cortana for something and select a web result, and she should launch your query directly in your default browser. Of course, she still brings up results generated via Bing, but the convenience of opening them in Chrome or Firefox simply makes up for that.

Note: If you've previously disabled Cortana and can't remember how to bring her back, simply right-click the taskbar, point to Cortana, and then select either Show Cortana Icon or Show Search Box.

Also on Guiding Tech

Take Control

Thanks to EdgeDeflector, you can now start using Continue on PC the way that you — and not Microsoft — wants. And the whole deal with Cortana only makes using this nifty tool all that much better.

However, do keep in mind that future Windows 10 updates may revert the default URL protocol to Microsoft Edge, in which case you need to go through the above procedure again.

Also, it won't hurt to update EdgeDeflector with newer versions once every while.

Last updated on 10 May, 2019
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

Join the newsletter

Share on

Join the newsletter

Written By

Dilum Senevirathne joined Guiding Tech in 2018, where he writes about products and services by Google, Apple, and Microsoft. Particularly notable for his expertise in iOS, he enjoys breaking down complex tech topics into digestible explainers, action-packed how-tos, and comprehensive troubleshooting guides — without the jargon.

Besides contributing to GT, Dilum studies management accounting (AICPA/CIMA) with an emphasis on areas such as Big Data analytics. He plays around with Python code in his spare time.